Project Description

During the University of Florida's official Spring Break in March 2008 I exchanged labor with the University of Florida Physical Plant Division. I am interested in addressing how maintenance functions within the academic landscape. The work done in the Physical Plant's Paint Shop, reminiscent of some Minimal, Conceptual, or Relational art practices, becomes critical when presented as field paintings with pentimento. Petimento, the bearly visible underpainting, mirrors the stylistic transparency and attentiveness of university maintenance.

To accomplish this work I exchanged services with three employees of the Paint Shop: Brody, Ben, and Bobby. For my part I helped paint by first embedding my underpainting, a quote by Aristotle stating "a thing whose presence or absence makes no visible difference is not an organic part of the whole," before painting over the now pentimento with one of UF's standard colors: special off-white, pussywillow grey, mayonnaise bronze, or black. Then each assisted employee wrote their own pentimento, a personal job description, on one of my canvases and then similarly painted over it.

This work culminated in an exhibition at the McCarty Storage Building on April 4th, 2008. This work was also exhibited on April 24th, 2008 during the 12th Annual Employee Appreciation Day at the University of Florida and has since been donated to the University.

Download the Let's Get Physical flyer. (2.87mb).

Exhibition Schedule

At McCarty Storage Building

in Gainesville, FL on April 4, 2008

Slideshow at the School of Art and Art History

in Gainesville, FL on March 18, 2008